Press

Arab artists are captivating audiences at this year's Venice Biennale, as the Arab Spring lends added potency to works from the Middle East.
At the United Arab Emirates pavilion, Abdullah al-Saadi from Sharjah puts on a polished exhibition with images of a land in transition, wrapped up in a plea for environmental awareness.
Naked Sweet Potato is Saadi's song of praise to the local staple, which has sustained Emirati families throughout the UAE's history."We eat this in the winter time," said Saadi. "It is part of our culture."
A neighbouring pavilion holds a more mysterious object - a glimmering metal box balanced on its point over hundreds of carefully placed identical glistening balls.
At first it appears to be a symbol for Mecca, Islam's holiest city in Saudi Arabia. But on closer inspection, the accompanying video and audio suggest possibilities
beyond the Kaaba and swirling crowds of pilgrims encircling it.

This piece, The Black Arch, is by Saudi sisters Raja and Shadia Alem, who are at the forefront of a renaissance of Arab art that is making its presence felt at the 54th Venice International Biennale.